JUst getting back to this thread again. Been busy the last few days. I have another road bike. A 2005 Fuji Professional carbon frameed bike. It's an amalgamation. I think the frame was bought to replace a trashed early 2000's Cannondale. The wheels(Gippiemme Grecal Parades, standard on a bunch of C'Dales) and brakes are Cannondale. As is a bunch of other parts.
It was set up as a race bike with race bike gears. I had an Ultergra cassette installed 11-28 to go with the Ultegra running gear. The bike has Dura Ace bar ends on it, not brifters. And put a Deore crankset and LX front deraiuer on. It has 48, 36 and 26 crank rings as I recall. This gives me just enough gearing to allow me to get up the hills I have around here with some difficulty. But definatly doable.
The 32/34 on the Rubaix isn't quite enough. I've hit 2 hills I couldn't get up. I've had to stop and rest half way up. I've got heart issues that limit my ability to really exert myself. I've got to spin up hills, not mash up them. If SRAM wouldn't be so stupid and offer tripple STI brifters. I'd have got another brifter and a triple crankset and been done with it. But a SRAM triple is out of the question.
So I've got to work with it or can the whole groupo and go with Shimano. That would be near the 1000$ mark. If I can get enough out of mountain rear gearing for a coupla hundred I'll stick with the SRAM.
Now you know the whole truth. I'm just torn between the cost of X7 and X9. is it worth the extra money for the X9? I'm riding road so I don't know SRAM mountain stuff at all. I'm familiar with Shimano. I'd like Deore quality. I don't think I need any more than that. The difference between 105 and Ultegra isn't that much. So I'm looking for guidance from people who use SRAM mountain.
Again thanks for the help.
Mark Shuman